This year’s session follows a report from PJM that some fear could be used to justify coal and nuclear subsidies

West facade of the Ohio Statehouse. Credit: Wikipedia

COLUMBUS — “Clean energy advocates say Ohio lawmakers should not try to use a newreport from grid operator PJM to pass subsidies for aging coal or nuclear power plants during the lame duck session after Election Day.

…The report looked at more than 300 possible scenarios. For at least the next five years, the PJM grid would remain reliable “even in an extreme scenario, such as an extended period of severe weather combined with high customer demand and a fuel supply disruption,” the report says.

If anything, PJM’s November 1 report ‘once again destroys the key argument of bailout seekers, showing that uneconomic coal and nuclear generators are simply not needed,’ said Dick Munson, director of Midwest clean energy for the Environmental Defense Fund.

Beyond five years, the report found there might be concerns in the event of an extended cold period with other factors in “extreme but plausible” scenarios. However, PJM did not calculate the likelihood of those scenarios, nor did it explain how adding new electricity resources would affect the risks.”

Clean Energy votes

Members supporting clean energy in Ohio as of October 27, 2018

50,405 Ohioans have signed our support statement in person at their door.

2,050 members have sent postcards to Ohio legislators, urging them to fix the wind setback rule in Ohio

15,919 Ohio Citizen Action members have sent handwritten letters to their state legislators in support of clean energy.

7,830 Ohio Citizen Action members have called their state legislators, asking them to oppose HB239 a nd SB 155, the latest coal bailout requests by Duke Energy, FirstEnergy, Dayton Power & Light and American Electric Power.